Buffalo, New York. The metallurgical laboratory of Republic Steel entirely manned by women. Twenty-one year old Florence Bergtold is "boss" of one shift. Here steel samples are tested for tensil strength, hardenability, and density. Billet samples such as one being pounded, weighing from sixty to ei

Buffalo, New York. In the finishing department of Republic Steel. Gladys Chase (left), former beautician, using an acetylene torch to burn defects from a twenty-foot steel billet which will later be shaped into a machine gun barrel. It takes six months to learn this process, which is called scarfing

Buffalo, New York. Esther O'Hara, twenty-six, is a shearman's helper trimming defects from machine gun barrels at Republic Steel. She prefers her job to housework

Buffalo, New York. Women have entirely replaced men as chainmen or "hookers" in the finishing department of Republic Steel. "Hookers" place slings and chains around material to be hoisted by cranes so that it can be moved to another section of the plant or loaded onto freight trains

Buffalo, New York. Mrs. Frances O'Neil, a "hooker," has been with Republic Steel since December, 1942. Hookers place slings and chains around material to be hoisted by the crane

Pratt and Letchwork, makers of all types of casting for ships, tanks, etc. 8d17328v

Mrs. Katie Sablejack, forty-five, a Hungarian, employed as a blacksmith's helper in the Pennsylvania Railroad yards 8d30167v

Buffalo, New York. Symington-Gould, makers of tank, ship, and railroad parts. Rod department. Metal rods are used to reinforce the sand in most molds. After the mold has been used, rods are shaken out of the sand and transported to the Rod department. Here women sort them, and will then straighten t

Buffalo, New York. Women employed inside open hearth furnace as bricklayers' helpers at the Republic Steel. When the end of a chamber is knocked out, there are about 5000 bricks to be lifted and removed. Bricks weigh about eight pounds each